The Darkened Road
by Tyranog
Summary: Ron, along with his friends Angus and Nigel, are caught up in a battle with the Death Eaters in a time when courage is everything and compassion means nothing...


Prologue  
  
The wyvern belched fire, and it swept the camp, lighting tents and supplies as well as leaving black streams of newly formed grass upon the ground. The stench of smoke stung his eyes and burned in his mouth. The death cries of a group of wizards carried through the air, and were suddenly cut off by the earsplitting wail of a wounded wyvern. Whipping out his wand, Angus looked around to see what he might do. The black-cloaked ambushers - Death Eaters - were everywhere but nowhere. More flame flashed through the camp and ignited a group of tents. One of the Death Eaters got caught in the flames and ran screaming from the encampment. Pointing his wand at the tents, he cried "Shcala mai-nora Flama!" Blue sparks flashed from the tip and flew over the flames, extinguishing them. The bright pink fire leapt from the wyvern's mouth and flew right past Angus, singing his robes. It was so close that he could smell the sulfur and brimstone. Two stacks of crates carrying potions and food caught fire and began to burn with green and blue flame. Angus tried to look around but all he could see was bright spots in front of his vision. Blinded, he was certain the next blast would turn him to ash.  
  
Two wizards shouted "STUPEFY!" and two red jets of light soon followed. They streaked towards the wyvern, but ricocheted harmlessly away off his neck and belly. The Death-Eaters were apparently intelligent enough to place magical wards over their pet's weakest points. While wyverns have some of the magical resistance of dragons (being relatives), they are a much weaker form and can succumb to moderately powerful and well-placed spells. The wyvern turned to face them, but the two wizards had already run off to join another group that were moving in to surrounded eight or nine of the attackers. Realizing they couldn't take this thing down with conventional spells, Angus tried to recall something that could be more... substantial. Finally getting his sight back, he looked up at the moon. He smiled. Tonight, the moon was bright, perfect for what he had in mind. Pointing his wand at the moon, Angus cried "Lunares Lupo Apparitia!" Two ghostly wraiths of wolves leapt from the end of his wand and started bounding towards the wyvern. The fire it belched did no more than phase the wolves and they began to tear at its neck and face, as wolves tend to do. It flailed wildly, knocking over a few palm trees and kicking up a small maelstrom of sand. A failing screech told Angus that the monster would soon be dead and they would be free to deal with the Death Eaters more personally.  
  
That taken care of, Angus took a quick look around and allowed himself a slight grin. They had this under control and could move base camp in an hour or two. His plans were soon dashed as a collective cry of "Morsmordre!" rose from behind a near dune, and then another, and then another. The words settled like ashes in his mouth as the green glittering Dark Mark rose from the sands and danced in the sky. Angus, as well as several of his other fellow defenders tried to apparate. They could not. The Death Eaters had placed a ward over the encampment using the Runic magicks that were recently discovered. The truth that they could not win and were going to be captured or killed cut through Angus' mind like a knife. Angus shouted for everyone to retreat through a gap in the Death Eater's lines. However, his fellow wizards were enraged by the deaths of their comrades and put on edge by the months spent in the desert. Angus tried to keep them under control but eventually someone yelled "AVADA KEDAVRA!" and killed the nearest Death Eater with a brief flash of green light. Eventually other wizards took up using the curse and chaos ensued. "NO! You mustn't use the Unforgivable curses! Don't fall to it!" he screamed. Maddened by the hatred for their enemies and cornered beyond hope, the wizards fought with the savagery of men possessed. There was no hope for them. He then proceeded to run around frantically trying to stop his comrades from descending to the level of the Death Eaters.  
  
Angus ran at the nearest wizard and said "No! You can't! Don't!" The wizard simply tossed him down, saying "We can't beat them! Fight fire with fire, damn it!" Soon afterwards, Angus was hit by a stupefy curse in the shoulder. Sadly enough, it came from one of his own men. Green lights danced in his fading vision like a fireworks show. Shortly before losing consciousness, Angus said "No.we must. not. the world. will fall.and all will come to .darkness... please... don't... do... this..."  
  
The last thought Angus had before his world fell into a black fog was of what would become of him next... 


End file.
